Andy Murray, David Ferrer reach Mexican Open quarterfinals

Updated: 27 February 2014 16:15 IST

The seventh-ranked Andy Murray needed three sets in the first round to beat Spaniard Pablo Andujar, but put in a more authoritative performance against Joao Sousa and set up a clash with France's Gilles Simon in the last eight.

Written by Associated Press

Read Time: 2 mins

Acapulco, Mexico:

Andy Murray reached the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Portugal's Joao Sousa on Thursday morning.

The seventh-ranked Murray needed three sets in the first round to beat Spaniard Pablo Andujar, but put in a more authoritative performance against Sousa and set up a clash with France's Gilles Simon in the last eight.

Top seed David Ferrer beat Spanish compatriot Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (1), 6-2 to advance to his fifth-straight Mexican Open quarterfinal.

Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africa's Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4.

"I believe 'Feli' (Lopez) had several chances in the first set but didn't take advantage of them", Ferrer said. "It was a tough one for me because he*s a very smart player and knows my game".

On the women's side of the combined ATP-WTA tournament, top-seeded Dominika Cibulkova reached the quarterfinals with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium.

"I'm still struggling with my serve, but I got another win so I'm happy", Cibulkova said.

Cibulkova has won her first matches on tour since her run to the Australian Open final and will next play Marina Erakovic of New Zealand, who defeated Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski 6-1, 6-4.

Also moved onto the next round were the second and third seeds, Eugenie Bouchard, from Canada, who defefeated Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena 7-5, 6-2 and Estonia's Kaia Kanepi who ousted Germany's Julia Goerges, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6.